The Chronic Magazine edition (From Chimurenga)I bought this digital gazette – The Chronic, because of an essay by Yemisi Ogbe. Yemisi is one of my favourite essayists. (Here’s one of her best works I shared). I’m impressed by her penchant to draw inspiration from everyday realities and present them with a language that engages. She writes as though she is conscious of the mundanity of her themes and so must craft her words in order to tickle sensibilities. In this piece, she explores the nuances of the “Nigerian English” against its colonial legacy, as a vehicle of daily survival, its dynamics as a class identifier, its humourous derivations from encounters with Nigerian dialects, etc., etc.

She writes, “Because English is the language of our formal education. Most likely, the language in which we have been taught to count, and read, and address authority, but it is not the language of our deepest fears and loves and passions. It is not as integral, as genuine as “Yeeee”, the indigenous cry of pain, or as warm and connected as “How body now?”. It lacks the natural ingenuity and humour of phrases like “Lepa Sprite or Shandy”, or the analogical potency of “Shine shine baby”, the humorous camaraderie in the rebuke “Leave language”. There is no resonance . . . no correct English could have drawn Nigerians’ attention to the booming counterfeit industry like NAFDAC’s call to “Shine your eyes, Shine them well well”. Queen’s English has no technical explanation for our emphatical “at all, at all” or the necessity of the “aaaa” and the “oooo” and the “jare” that ends and grounds our English sentences.”The Chronic edition HERE

Vittel Refresh CapThis is a clever idea that reminds people to drink water as recommended. Very simple and it doesn’t task people. I’m tempted to ask if this a better option over monitoring apps. I think it is because it embeds product package with product experience in a rather fun way.

Clinical BluesA collection of poems by Dami Ajayi. I attended the author's reading recently in Abuja. I have only read a session of the collection and I am spellbound. Brilliant brilliant work.

My Copy of Clinical Blues

The author signs my copy

Magic!I don’t remember how I was introduced to this Canadian group. I’ve heard their hit song “Rude” but it didn’t particularly pique me. (Its video is nice though). But a chance encounter with two tracks: “Let Your Hair Down” & “No Way No” has been a blessing. I copped their album immediately. They fuse pop with reggae to create magical songs. Fantastic songwriters too.

Crossy Road Game

Currently the most addictive game on my phone. It reminds me of Flappy Bird, that crazy and irritating game. Crossy Road is a slightly nicer version. It gets annoying sometimes. I suppose it’s the idea of the game. I hate it when the hawk comes to kill the hen.